The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-11-17

Charm of His Voice and Iii, Practical
Philanthropy.
Special Correspondence
LONDoE, Oct. 3l.-Spurgcon leave the Bap-
tst church. If Wesley had renowned Meth
odini or brigham Young discarded Mormon
IL. the surprise and the consequences could
not have lee! greater To most Americans
Slurgco!, has these twenty years l,ecn NOR.
than Il mere name What Bcc~llcr has been
to -Al4"lir, S;rur"cn:l Las; been to England
with these notable differences: Bcechcr
l:oadcne;l his theology, Spurgcon narrowed
H.; Becchcr cultivated oratory as Il fine art
Sturgeon abhol. art AL is eloquent in spite
OF himself; Bccchcr preached TO congrc.s.
tons OF 1900 Sturgeon TO never fewer than
600, twice each Sunday
We arc not now concerned VITA the thco-
iHgian, hey md noting the extraordinary fact
that the most famous living Baptist preacher
gives up his Baptist creed and practice fer
that of the Presbytcriani, solely because the
latter hold the rigid tenet; of C3lvinisu
which the Baptists are CRYING MP We pro
Noss to portray Spargcpn, the plain man
(;lc never would use the teen REV. y, rs;
striking :" specimen Of the tr,:r jn.s.l El!l rs
can be found in ''the tight l.tic island to
day. Spur"con is probah J the mc::5 truly
Modest public man in England He stie,,..s TO
LIS work; avoids self advertisement, ;:hLors
fuss and adulation, yet he is by universal
consent of all Sectarians and politicians one
of the most potent social forces in the land.
Let us glance first at his clerical rise and
progress. He was born in 1874 got the ordi-
nary schooling, and no moro; became ''con-
vertcd at ID; was village preacher at IL;
was the most Sensational and hotly discussed
pulpitecr in England when h. was 20: at 2l
his followers laid the foundation stone of the
Metropolitan tabernacle, which eos. Sl6o,0 900,
and from the opening service, in 1861 tat
which Was present., down to today, Spur
gcon has never preached 10 fewer Than G,CO0,
and his average congregation is o er 1000.
lie gained notoriety at first by lurid and OK
travasant word pictures, but he :srcw into Il
mcllower and mere rational style. He soon
Won public esteem, NOS because of bot ill
spite of the str;.itip:;, of his crccd The public
take their man by weight il the long run
and it was Spurgcon's devotion to practical,
good work and Iii; common sense philan-
thropy that won hiIi the admiration of the
public at large.
His physique is Eot that Of the ideal man
OF brain and immense energy, for Sturgeon
posscssc; the latter i'll marvellous degree.
lie i; short, about five feet six, fat and puffy,
his checks hang dow:l with fa:ness," his
teeth project enough to prevent his closing
his lips in pronouncing the letter NJ, which
with him sounds like v His forehead looks
lower am! narrower than it really is because
III; straight black hair grows low upon it.
He has 10 visible neck. He dresses, rs did
lieccher, il plain urclcrical garb. Alto
:.Ctl:cr, see him q platform among othcl.
parsons, yol would very cXcu-?hly nlia.u,."
S,,Urgcoi for Il decent little well to do grocer
OF dry goods dealer, with Il turn FOR acting
deacon. But the moment he opeas his mouth
Oh, rather, the moment he uses his voice,
for his Llout. i; always oicn--you feel the
strange charm of it; clear mellow, bell like
l,Hlc, SO musical and 50 distinct is every
;vllahlc. l have heard most of the great
orators of the old world and the nov,
bus none have the voic2 Of Sturgeon. His
huge tabernacle, solemn sounding as its
i:;;nlc isiay ~, il quite gay and festive nu
sic hall within. Ii j. oval, ha, three gal
le'ic; running right round the building
IlaIc Of li%.it open iron work painted
white. so pulpit, 10 organ. An organ
Would lie lost in the mighty sound Of that
congregation, every Individual Of which
seems to think that the glory Of the service
depend; upon his own hing power. AS tn
experiment | have climbed up to the little
.l',, i'' w.. a., r',tl,sat
~ $50 ~ 9, Wv i.' ~
S.''io -. ~ = 49, ID 80, ls' -
-: WI '''o i'' t,"''e lip!e' :,
'.l:'"'S i'' ".'i" we o''h w.
tii '"i'h VIC PiNa.h'' a'''o'is'' 'iio 'i'"" VI
"'''. ,'n' '''e.,''7 '''''o', ", no
~ 'I'i''. MIL ..i' cte'l "hc,i ny ',cl'' ~
= n. ~ ,'N, ''!'l'S u". no i.l ~ v's'
ie'''iii'' oe'N ii"c ,ii'' VI i'ece ,ci = we tai-
nov pioi"ilS So, 'i!' pay vi ~, i''''. h"'
li-''' hieSho'i" voice Sail' i'sh, up 10 our
e''' so eic''i'S anu 'e'''''i"iiy ''i.G "''","'
"hS Sti'i',''F7 " ','s'l eNcis y 'H'oN' ~
S;N''k' "''f''''' INC NE'N' 'il'f'' "hu '"ieiS
Si";:lS'
LIS sermon 10 o,i'y "i'c i'ai' VI ms "oih' ~
4ucs'ioi''l'''c "le'hci u le',''er o, scripture
LESSONS Sl'o,'d wafer 'heil, Gown py ms own
lhtcii'oi''.en cn-i'i'i>iits nc" can 10 ~ Will
ouI pointing 'hc eoil,r'S' oetweeh INC SUP
lliile ana inc FlalcuiouS' 1eo olurseoh
Always ooes ms ana IL Is i''ir 70 sly 'hl' the
4n',illles, VI ms 'oiiil'ien's' 'hcr slp'iiesS
an" iehc"y VI p.'raslhs rc.'iy e''i.s' ana
soiiie'ihc:' ..eii w ''i.,se' "nno''t s.io'hihS
inc proPiie,ies, Du' inns Is ol'y aho,hef way
Oh saying ,'l'' sturgeon Is sliet'iu muster
OF racy Anglo saxon. 'oli,i bilsht all.
,l'urse"i may ~ ci',sse'' e'lui Is lc''hc. o.
s.,o,'s liothci L ISL, puie l.ii. ul''1ilie'i
6l.EtStOHC Is II SuTpllS3 Dclus,